Mikel Arteta Fumes Over Controversial VAR Decision in Atlético Madrid vs Arsenal

Good evening everyone. Hope everyone's well. Um, we probably not get round to everyone. Raise your hand if you have a question and we'll come to you. I'll look to the front row. We'll come to Sam Dean from the Telegraph. Shout. Firstly, what were your thoughts on the game? Well, first of all, what a privilege to play the Champions League in finaliz stadium. What an energy. What an atmosphere they created. Uh, we had big parts of the game. Um, very similar to what we wanted. Um we went ahead with the penalty unfortunately second half we started um a bit sloppy with certain giveaways and giving them some momentum and that's the moment that they used it um that uh that's something that

we knew we have to go through in the manner that we the penalty very disappointed u and in the prom league is not a penalty but here I have to accept that with the rules and obviously how consistent they've been for example yesterday with Bayern Munich I accept that this is um a humble what I incredibly fuming with is how the hell the penalty on eps gets overtoned in the manner that happened when it's not a clear and obvious error and this changes the course of the game and at this level I'm sorry but this cannot happen have you had any explanation on that very clear explanation the decision and then what happens for a period of time and the referee has to watch it 13 times

it's more clear than that I think it's it's impossible and um yeah we are fuming about it. We saw the reaction of the crowd and the Atletico bench to that moment. Do you think that had any impact? That has nothing to do with that. I'm sure that they are very well aware of what is the reaction is going to be is normal. That reaction is we need to apply the rules. The same thing that I'm saying that they apply the rules on Ben White's penalty that is difficult to accept but it is a penalty with the handbook and what they say at the beginning of the season. EPS is a clear and very obvious penalty. That's it.

James ESPN, can I ask do you think the process of the use of V needs looking at in general? I don't know. That's their job and they have a process and whatever they do, I'm sure they believe is the right thing. I have nothing to say that. I'm just saying I just uh judging the action and the manner that happened and um and the way it got overturned. Dish from Sky Muel, you said you're fuming. Can you and your players now use that as fuel for the rest of the season and in particular for the second round? Yes, but when you have fought so hard for nine months to be in this position, I mean that's another goal that changed completely course of the tie and uh it cannot happen. I'm sorry. We put so much on it. This cannot happen.

Alex from BBC. Hi MueL, just on the decision again, will you approach UEFA or put a case forward about this decision not going your way? I don't know. I leave that to the club to decide what the best thing to do. Now they're not going to give us the penalty. That's gone. And um and that's it. Let's talk about football. Tom Reach. Muel, can I ask you about Victor cuz you know he's come in for a lot of scrutiny this season, but it's his 19th goal and he had a really strong first half performance. Just some reactions to his display.

Yeah, I think I agree with that. I think had a very strong first half when especially we're more dominating you know that the warri is going to put a situation he created the goal and the penalty and um and he was high school to score it in the manner that he did and then the second half changed a little bit credit to them but as well a lot of things that we need to do um much better and I think then we have to we changed that with the changes I think the game changed as well and um and we finish on top Phil from PA sorry m just going back to the penalty. Do you think that the referee needs to be a bit stronger because obviously he was told to go and look at the monitor but he watched the replay 12 13 14 times and then decide to

overturn it. I mean he obviously still had the power to I'm not here to judge the process is their process is a decision that is clear okay stick to it because that's the rules what that's what been uh coaching the players to accept that and when there is something different when you play in the semi-final of the Champions League uh and change it cannot happen daily right hi m how pleased were you with the way your team dealt with this occasion in this atmosphere there was obviously lro that was launched at kickoff of grass apparently was a bit too long, pitches getting watered at halfime. So with all that backdrop, how pleased are you with your the way your team handled it?

I'm very proud. I said that to um to the boys. the way we handle any kind of context for 9 and a half months is just remarkable and um and I really value what they've done because I've seen some of the best teams in the world here fall apart and on C3 and four and uh we don't we didn't get the result that we wanted and the way we planned the game um we wanted to win it uh but at least is in our hands in front of our people to be in that final and um and in a week's time we're going to have the opportunity to do so. Okay, last two questions from Spanish media. Firstly, then here Okay. Was that just one more? Was there one more from the head? Okay. Go.